1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to systems and methods for controlling water flow in food waste handling systems. More specifically, the present invention concerns a system and method for substantially automatically controlling water flow into a disposer, collector, or other type of food waste handling system based on a sensed, detected, or otherwise determined physical presence of an operator, including automatically controlling said flow for a pre-established period of time following cessation of said presence.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Food waste handling systems are known in the prior art, including disposer-based systems that grind or shred and then flush food waste into a sanitary sewer system, and collector-based systems that collect solid food waste for subsequent disposal other than into a sanitary sewer system. For both types of waste handling systems, water is a necessary ingredient at various points in the handling process. In some embodiments, a stream or plume of water is initially provided to apply a force to soiled dishes in order to wash or otherwise remove food waste therefrom. To that end, it is known to provide a continuous plume of water into a basin or trough associated with the waste handling system. In a disposer-based system, water is also used to carry the food waste into the disposer device, facilitate grinding or shredding, and carry or flush the ground or shredded food waste into and through the sanitary sewer system. In a collector-based system, water is also used to carry solid components of the food waste into a collection area for deposition therein and subsequent removal, and to carry away non-solid components.
In each case, an increased flow of water may sometimes be necessary or desirable to facilitate the washing, grinding or shredding, deposition, or flushing operations. This is the case, for example, when handling large amounts of food waste or especially dense or dry food waste. In one prior art disposer-based system, for example, water flow into the disposer is increased in response to a sensed increase in electric current drawn by a motor driving the grinding or shredding operation. The sensed increase in current draw is used as an indication that additional water may be needed to facilitate particularly difficult grinding or shredding.
It will first be appreciated that such a prior art waste handling system could not be adapted for use with a collector-based or other type of waste handling system which may not draw current or in which increased current draw is not a satisfactory indicator of a needed increase in water flow. It will also be appreciated that there are a number of points in the handling processes of most systems, regardless of the type of processing device, where increased water flow may be necessary or desirable regardless of the amount of current drawn by any motor. It may be desirable, for example, to increase water flow at any point in the handling process from removing the food waste from the dishes, carrying it into the processing device, or flushing it through the sanitary sewer system. Carrying food waste into the processing device is of particular concern in trough-type systems wherein the food waste may be deposited into the trough some distance from the processing device such that an increased flow is needed to physically push the food waste down the trough. With regard to flushing the food waste into and through the sanitary sewer system, the aforementioned prior art system increases and decreases water flow in response to current draw during grinding and shredding but without any concern for flushing the waste thereafter. Thus, as a general matter, it is sometimes desirable to increase flow whenever waste is being handled and not merely during short intervals of difficult grinding or shredding.
It is, of course, known for an operator to manually increase water flow, such as by opening or further opening a water valve. A substantial risk arises, however, that the operator may forget to increase the flow, which may cause handling problems or even damage to the system, or may leave the area without reducing the water flow, which may result in a substantial amount of wasted water and an increase in associated operating costs.
Due to the above-identified and other problems and disadvantages in the prior art, a need exists for an improved system and method for controlling water flow in a food waste handling system.